


Not Comfort But Sin

by mothkisses



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Frustration, Love?, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:34:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29379303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothkisses/pseuds/mothkisses
Summary: Maggie is new and lonely and yearning to be touched. She makes an impact on Shane.
Relationships: Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Not Comfort But Sin

**Author's Note:**

> “But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”  
> ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Maggie didn’t think that she could feel any more alone than she did on her first night in her grandfather’s old farmhouse. But as she sat alone at the end of the bar, surrounded by townsfolk who knew everyone but her, she realized that perhaps _this_ was truly as lonely as it gets. 

“You need a refill, hon?” Emily smiled at her, friendly but professional. Maggie shook her head, but her frown kept Emily close by. “I know you’re new in town, and I know it can be kind of overwhelming to be in an unfamiliar place. If you need anything let me know, okay?”

Maggie smiled. “I really appreciate that. You said your name is Emily, right? I’m Marjorie, most folks call me Maggie. I’m William’s granddaughter, from the farm.”

Emily’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Of course that’s you! Mayor Lewis mentioned that someone would be moving in soon to take care of the place. I’m really glad you’re doing it. It was a shame to see such a beautiful piece of property sit alone like that.”

“Yeah, I just hope I can do it justice.”

Emily cleared her plates, and Maggie asked for a hot toddy. As it steeped she rested her head against the wall behind her and watched as more townspeople filed in. She used to love to people watch in city bars with her friends, to make up backstories for each person that came though. Maybe a woman sitting alone was waiting for her date to show up, maybe they met online, swapped stories, and decided to meet in person. Or maybe the group of young men were celebrating a winning game or a promotion or an upcoming marriage. Maybe they were mobsters, plotting their next move. But here, in Pelican Town, it felt much too invasive to pretend she knew these people, even for fun. They had entire lives that she was now, to some degree, a part of. The lonely feeling kicked in again, and she closed her eyes. 

“Uh, hey.”

She opened her eyes to see a man standing before her. His dark eyes seemed tired, accentuated by his scruff. What she thought might be someone introducing themselves seemed to be someone annoyed at the mere idea of her. 

“Um, hey yourself.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I’m mean, sorry. Hi. I’m Maggie. I’m... well, I’m new in town. Obviously.”

One corner of his mouth turned up, the sheerest hint of a smile. “Obviously,” he echoed. “I’m Shane. You’re kind of in my spot.” 

“Oh my god, sorry. I didn’t —“ She started to stand up, but he stopped her. 

“Well you’re new. How would you know? It’s... fine.”

She flashed him a smile and patted the stool next to her. “Hey Emily, can I buy him a beer?” Emily cocked her head to one side and grinned, then pulled a glass from the shelf and filled it up with something light. When she placed it in front Shane, his hint of a smile became the real deal. 

“This is my favorite thing—how’d you guess!”

“Well, I mean, it is a _bar_ , so... pretty easy guess.”

He took a sip and pointed at her mug. “Not for you, though, right?”

Remembering the drink, she gave it a stir and took a long sip. “I’m just, ah, a little nervous I guess.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to be. The people here, they’re nice. They’ll like you in no time.” He returned to the beer, and she to her tea, but as much as she tried to enjoy the crowd around her, her eyes kept drifting back to him. Her eyes traced the slump of his shoulders, his strong arms, the soft contour of his jaw. She absentmindedly chewed her lip as she thought about him, and felt a warmth growing in the pit of her belly. Then Shane spoke again, “Do you mind not staring at me?” She flushed, but his small smile was back. “Just don’t make a habit of it.” He stood up and slid his empty stein across the bar, then stretched his arms behind his head. She caught sight of his pale belly as his shirt lifted up, and she resumed her lip chewing. “Thanks a lot for the beer, Mags. Nice meeting you.”

She flashed him a smile. “Nice meeting you too Shane. See you around?”

He nodded, waved to Emily, and made his way out the door. As she returned the gesture, Emily hummed to herself. “Well that’s funny.” 

Maggie slugged the rest of her toddy and passed the empty mug to the blue-haired girl. “What’s funny?”

“Shane. Never seen him smile so much. Or leave so early.” 

“Oh yeah?”

“You ever heard of the hedgehog’s dilemma?” Maggie shook her head, so Emily continued. “Basically, the hedgehogs, they need to stay warm in the winter. But they’re prickly, right? So they can’t get close to each other, even though they need to. Shane’s kind of a hedgehog.” Emily paused a moment, then made an ‘oh’ sound as if she’d had an idea. “You’d do good to be nice to him. He could really use a friend.”

“Well, hell, that makes two of us. Thanks for everything Emily.” Maggie smiled as she paid the tab and headed out the door. The night was cool, and she pulled her cardigan tighter around her. She thought that, maybe, if she was quick, she might catch Shane. _And do what with him if you do?_ She wondered to herself as her feet carried her over the cobblestones. She spotted a glimpse of his dark hair underneath a street lamp as he turned down Willow Lane. She hurried after him, nearly tripping on an out-of-place paver. 

“Woah, woah, Mags,” Shane reached out and grabbed her arms to steady her. His hands felt warm through her sweater as he gave her a squeeze. “Are you... following me?”

“No, well—yes, but not exactly!” Her eyes met his—deep warm brown. “I just wondered if, since, you know, since I’m new and I’m kind of alone, maybe you’d want to come back to my place?”

“Excuse me?”

She blushed, and wondered if he could tell under the incandescent glow from the lamp. “I mean, just to hang out. You know. Something kind of casual? I have beer in the fridge.”

He put her arms down and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. “I have to work in the morning; I’m covering a shift.”

“Oh my god, of course.” Her face fell, she couldn’t help it. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have, I just... it’s been... never mind. Forget I asked.” She forced a smile. “I, uh, I may as well go this way. I’ll walk with you.”

They began walking, with Maggie a fraction of step behind Shane, hoping he couldn’t see the disappointment on her face. She scolded herself for asking—what a silly question! _You’re a perfect stranger to him,_ she thought, _so why would he even bother?_ When they got to the ranch in Cindersap Forest, they lingered for a moment by the fence post. Shane signed and rubbed his eyes.

“Oh, what the hell, Mags. I’ll come over.”

She smiled, swaying on the balls of her feet. “You really will?”

“Yeah, I really will. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

She lead him up the path between the forest and her farm. Ahead of them, where the path opened up into a larger forest clearing, sat the farm. Maggie’s grandfather had left her the land in his will. He had passed away just before she left for college. That had been the last time she was on the farm before she moved, and she remembered how much different it looked on the day of his burial. He had always relied on seasonal crops, and he kept the fertile soil around him carefully maintained with rows upon rows of crops. His greenhouse was filled with exotic fruits, like star fruits and pink melons and cactus fruits. It hummed with life, and he worked it until he no longer could. 

After his death, she and her father packed up the important memorabilia, hired workers to finish out the fall crops and ship them off, and locked the door to the house. He handed her an envelope as they stood on the porch, looking across the land for what could have been the very last time. The paper was wrinkled and yellowed, and sealed with black wax. Her father warned that it was Grandpa’s wish she save the note for a troubling time, and so she waited and waited and waited. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago she finally felt the urge. 

> _“If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.”_

Now, looking at the moonlight rippling on the pond, she knew she’d made the right move. 

“Wow, looks a lot different than the last time I saw the place. You’ve already done a lot of work.”

She hadn’t really—or at least it didn’t feel like she had, despite how her legs and shoulders ached at the end of the day—and as she looked at it from this angle, she felt like what she had accomplished earlier in the week hadn’t even put a dent in everything she needed to do. But it was nice of him to say, so she responded softly, “Thanks.”

They carried on to the farmhouse, Maggie producing a key from underneath a flowerpot beside the door. “Come on in. I know it’s chilly, I’ll bring some wood in and get a fire going.”

Shane shook his head. “I can do it. Why don’t you grab us a beer instead?”

She slipped her shoes off and headed toward the kitchen, taking two sliver-blue cans from the top shelf of the refrigerator and flicking on a light above the kitchen sink. With an armload of logs, he came in, stepping out of his sneakers and shutting the door behind him. He knelt in front of the hearth and started up a small fire while she cracked open both cans of beer. “You know,” she said as he joined her on the couch, “this is really nice of you to do.”

He took a long sip. “Well maybe I’m simply a nice person.”

She eyed him for a moment, once again soaking in the shape of his body. She felt the butterflies start up again in her stomach as she wondered what made his eyes seem so distant and sad. “Are you a nice person?”

Without a trace of warmth, he responded, “No, honestly. I’m not.” She bit her lip. “It’s cute when you do that, you know.”

“You think so? You don’t even know me at all.” She laughed a little, and he laughed too.

“I don’t need to know you to know that you’re cute when you chew on your mouth like that.”

“You think I’m _cute?_ “ She raised her eyebrows in mock disbelief and took a drink from her can. 

“I actually think that you _know_ you’re cute. I mean, look at you in your tight jeans and your oversized sweater, with your pretty green eyes and your upturned nose.”

She put a hand on his chest and laughed again. “Stop, you’re trying to make me blush!” For a moment, she didn’t think. She locked on to his eyes, transfixed by the way the flames in the fireplace danced within them, and before she knew what she was doing, she leaned forward and she kissed him. It wasn’t a spectacular kiss—she was buzzed and he was clearly not anticipating it, so their lips met ungracefully. She nuzzled her face into his as he opened her mouth slightly, just enough that she could suck on his bottom lip. He moaned into her mouth, the frequency of the sound like honey on her tongue. She grabbed tight to his shirt with one hand, and put the other in the back of his hair. She missed kissing, missed being touched by another person. She didn’t want the moment to end. 

But it did. And when Shane pulled away, he looked... shocked? Confused? She couldn’t decipher the look on his face. He sighed and finished his beer. “I really should go.”

“You just got here,” she said, reaching out for him as he stood up from the couch. “I’m sorry I kissed you.”

He frowned. “You are?”

She licked her lips. “No.”

“I need to get home. Gotta work.” He moved to the door and put his shoes back on. “Good night, Mags.”

“Good night, Shane.” She hadn’t even moved from the couch. “See you around?” He was out the door before he could answer. 

She chugged the rest of her beer and tossed the empty cans into the recycling bin before heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She looked at herself in the mirror and shook her head. That night in bed, sleep eluded her. 

* * *

Shane had been sparse since the kiss that first Friday night. She didn’t exactly blame him, but she was desperate to see him again. Even if just to apologize, again, and not mean it. She felt like she’d blown her once chance at an early friendship in this town. 

She waited outside the Stardrop Saloon, fidgeting with the glow ring she recently acquired from the mines. Spring was winding down, and thus, it had not been a very exciting day, but she was tired from a morning of tilling the earth and preparing it for the upcoming season. The hands of her watch ticked past 11pm. Right on schedule, the door swung open and, with one hand on the rail, the dark haired boy stumbled out. Once off the steps, he zipped his worn-out jacket and stuffed his hands into the pockets. The night air had the slightest bit of chill. 

“Hey Shane,” she said, looking up from her ring. The boy started. 

“Maggie?” He squinted his eyes. “What the hell are you doing out here so late?”

She slid the ring back on her finger and adjusted it. Embarrassed — and what did she expect? Why _was_ she out here so late, except to force a chance encounter with him? “I just thought that maybe you’d… well, like some company on your walk home.” She held up her hand, “Plus I found this cool thing the other day in the mines. Might as well try it out, right? Oh! And I brought you the last of my hot peppers.” She patted the strap on her rucksack. “Thought maybe you’d enjoy them?”

Shane snorted, but he didn’t roll his eyes this time. And he didn’t budge. “Did you say you want to walk me home?” He cracked a smile. “You don’t think I can make it home on my own? Don’t think I’m tough enough?”

Her eyes widened. “No! Oh no, it’s not that! I thought—” He cut her off.

“I’m just teasing Mags. You can walk me.” 

She stepped closer to him and they started for Marnie’s Ranch, in the direction of Cindersap Forest. He didn’t speak, and she was too flustered to think of anything else to say on the short journey. When they arrived at Marnie’s doorstep, she noticed the lights were off except for the porch lamp—figuring at this late hour, both Marnie and Jas were sound asleep. Shane reached his hand out for the doorknob, but stopped just short of opening it. 

“Hey,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “You tired? You wanna sit out on the dock for a while?”

His offer of his company took her by surprise almost as much as his teasing. “Yeah, actually. I’d love that.” 

“I’m gonna grab a couple beers, wait here a sec.” He slipped inside and returned after a moment with two cans, one in each of the pockets on his jacket. Once they found themselves settled down on the dock, he popped the tops of them and passed one to her. 

The first of the fireflies moved slowly around them, their soft glow reflecting like candlelights off the surface of the pond. A long, quiet moment passed before Shane let out a heavy sigh. “You ever feel like, no matter what you do, you’re still gonna fail?” He leaned back on his hands. “Like you’re stuck in some miserable abyss and you’re so deep you can’t even see the light of day?” He took a long sip from his beer, and she did the same. “I just feel like no matter how hard I try… I’m not strong enough to climb out of that hole.” He finished the can and squeezed it in his hand until the tin crumpled. Then he tossed it back to the grassy shore. 

She pressed her lips together. He wasn’t looking at her; instead, he watched the steady rippling of the water. “What brought this on, Shane?” She pulled herself closer to where he reclined. 

To the water he said, “I don’t know. I’ve had a lot of time to think lately, is all.” Then he swung his gaze to her. “You’ve been a lot nicer to me than I deserve, you know.”

“I don’t know if that’s true.”

“I’ve already told you I’m no good, and yet here you are, sitting in the starlight, sharing a beer with me. You don’t even know it’s my birthday, so I know you’re not doing this out of pity.” He gave her a sad, half-smile. “What’s wrong with you?”

She shrugged. “I guess I thought that you deserved to have someone be nice to you. Especially on your birthday.” She looked into his dark eyes and she swore she could see a glimmer of _something_ good. 

As quick as the flashes from the fireflies, Shane leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. His hand found its way into the back of her hair, and she let out a soft _mmm_ against his mouth. Suddenly he pulled away. “Sorry about that.”

She furrowed her brow. “ _You’re_ sorry you kissed me?”

He rubbed his neck. “No, not really.” She grabbed his face between her hands and closed the gap between the two of them. He grabbed her hips as she deepened the kiss, and pulled her into his lap. With one hand he cupped her face, while the other found its way underneath her shirt. His fingertips felt ice cold against her warm skin, and she felt the goosebumps crawling up her spine. When she stopped for air, he asked, “What are we doing?”

She bit her lip, and in the starlight Shane found it irresistible. “We’re kissing. Isn’t that what friends do?”

He smirked. “You think you’re my friend?” Carefully—achingly slow—he undid the buttons on her blouse and slipped the garment off her shoulders, revealing her untanned breasts mounding over the top of her bra. She looked beautiful astride him, and she felt his pants tighten. The butterflies returned with a violent flutter in her stomach. He kissed her jaw, then kissed her neck, as his fingers worked to unhook her bra. When the clasp was open, she pulled it off her shoulders and put it aside. As his kisses neared her left nipple, she rocked her hips forward and made fistfuls of his jacket. 

“Please” she whispered, “Please take me.”

He pulled away, grinning. “Here?” His eyes lit up playfully. “Here in the middle of the forest? Where anyone could walk up on us?”

She pressed her forehead against his. “I _need_ you to. Please.”

He carefully rolled the two of them over so that he was above her, looking down into her eyes. “I don’t think so, Maggie.” 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and pushed himself up, heading for the lakeshore. He picked up the discarded can and looked back at her, where she still lay topless on the wood. “For the record, Mags, I don’t do that kind of thing with my friends.” He winked, and slipped away into the darkness. Flustered and frustrated, she pulled on her shirt and hauled herself up, heading directly for her own cottage. 

In bed that night she chewed her lip as her fingers worked furiously and her mind lingered on him. 

* * *

It had been two days since she’d seen him. Even with purposely trying to run into him—following his schedule as well as she knew it—he had not once been in the same parts of town that she had. And she _needed_ to see him. So that afternoon, she finished her farm chores early, washed herself and put on a short, summer dress. She bought beer at Pierre’s, and, once home, sent Shane a text with a photo of the case. “Come over?” she wrote. 

He didn’t respond, so she was already two beers in when she heard the knock on her door. She couldn’t stop the grin on her face when she saw him behind it. “You did come.“

“Oh, I’d like to. Will you let me in?”

She stepped aside, giving him room to enter her small home and remove his shoes. “I’ve got everything to make a pizza. I know it’s your favorite, if you’re hungry.” He watched her with a neutral face, and it made her squirm. “Or we can just... hang out? If you don’t have anywhere to be?And if you do, that’s really fine, I—“

He touched her lips with a finger. “It is _so_ easy to get under your skin. What’s got you so nervous?” It came out as a question, but the look in Shane’s eyes told her that he already knew what he was doing. She pushed his hand away and took a long drink of her beer, then a deep breath. 

“You can’t just fucking _tease_ me. In the goddamn woods, of all places. It isn’t fair.”

“It isn’t?” He moved closer, took the beer from her hand, and sipped it. 

“And then you avoid me for two days? So that I go crazy? Shane.”

The corner of his lips twitched into a smile at the sound of his name. It sounded like honey on her lips. 

“Shane,” her voice was pleading. “It isn’t fair. It’s been a long time for me. I’m desperate, Shane.” She tugged on the hem of her dress. 

His smile burst forth, showing off his straight teeth. “Is this an elaborate booty call?” She blushed, and he reached to take the hem of dress out of her hands. Playfully he narrowed his eyes. “Tell me, are you even wearing panties under this little thing?” He tugged it hard enough that she had to step forward to keep from stumbling. She put her hands on his biceps to steady herself, and his eyes shimmered.

Her bitten lip betrayed her nervousness but she managed to make her voice calm. “I wasn’t lying when I said I needed it.” 

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Why don’t you ask me nicely then?”

Her brows furrowed and she gestured to the ingredients spread out on the kitchen counter. “This is me asking nicely.” But he had something else in mind. He took the hair tie from her wrist and combed his fingers through her hair, pulling it into a wavy ponytail at the back of her skull. With one hand he tugged it, forcing her to look at him. He pressed one kiss to her collarbone, and began a line up her neck to her jaw. 

“I think you can ask a little nicer than that,” he said between kisses. She moaned; he could feel the vibration of her voice through her skin. 

Her fingernails dug into his arms. “What do you want me to _say_?” The words came out as little more than a moan, and he laughed, teeth grazing the sensitive skin above her pulse. 

“Why don’t you start with ‘please’?”

“Please, Shane.” The tip of tongue his tongue drew a line to her ear, and when she said it again, she meant it.“ _Please,_ I just need to be touched.”

“Just touched?” He nibbled her ear. One hand found its way underneath her dress and he squeezed her ass. “Do you need more than that?”

“Fuck me,” she moaned,“I need you to fuck me.” Immediately his hand plunged into the front of her underwear, and she gasped. 

“You don’t want to take things slow?” His fingers teased her clit, and she could feel her wetness grow between her thighs. She bit her lip again and shook her head. In a flash, he turned around and bent her over the old kitchen table. Instinctively she arched her back and pressed her ass against his hips, hardly realizing he was still full clothed. He tugged on her ponytail, pulling her back to look at him. “Do you want it this way?” She dug her fingernails into the scuffed wood tabletop as he kissed her shoulders. Her mouth hung open desperately. He let go of her hair and sunk his fingertips into her hips, pulling her against his jeans. “Here?” She nodded. “Use your words, Mags,” his voice was low as he traced her slit through her damp underwear. 

“Shane, please. Please. _I am begging you_.” She was flushed, her skin covered in a sheen of sweat, either from the warmth of the small cabin or the heat of the moment.

He slowly began to undo his belt. The metal buckle’s jingling felt like it was mocking her as she trembled with want on her kitchen table. He kneeled down behind her, pulling her underwear off, and pressing kisses to the back of her thigh. She moaned as the kisses went higher, until she felt his nose pressing against her asscheek. He skimmed her with his teeth, and slipped a finger into her warm core. She arched her back against the feeling, but it wasn’t enough. One measly finger wasn’t going to satisfy her, and she was tired of the games. She needed satisfaction. 

But he was stronger than her, and when she tried to reposition herself, his gripped tightened around her leg. His finger was replaced with a gentle lap with his tongue, and he hummed the way a man does when he takes the first bite of a delicious meal. He worked her clit, slowly building up a rhythm, and eased off when she started to shake. “You don’t want to savor this?”

She shook her head. “N-no. No. I need you. I need _you_.” When he stood, he swept his tongue front to back between her legs, and her knees buckled. He caught her, and when he stood up, she felt the pressure of him between her legs. But she wanted him _inside_ of her. She craved him, and she worried, for a brief moment, that he might once again leave her, hot and flustered, this time splayed out on the same table where she had her meals. The thought made her moan, and in the next second, she felt him easing into her with impeccable slowness. When she was full, he paused.

“Is this okay?” He sounded very serious, which made her shiver around him. She nodded, and he started slowly thrusting. She ached for more, and she tried desperately to speed up the rhythm, but he was stronger. His fingertips sank into her hips and he held them like reins. “I’m in charge here,” he said in a low voice, and she whimpered. 

“Harder,” she whispered, “harder _please_.” He grinned, tugged her ponytail to pull her back upright, and pressed a kiss to her neck.

“Like this?” He asked as his pace quickened. She nodded. “I want to look at you. Turn around.” He slipped out her of her as she turned, and quickly he picked her up, sat her on the table, and slid back inside her. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close. He pressed kisses and quick nips along her neck and shoulders until he felt her shaking. 

“I’m— I’m—“ 

He smiled. “You can come, don’t worry.” And she did, her head thrown back, her fingers gripping the hair on the back of his head. 

* * *

They were on the couch now, naked and glistening. Her head lay on his chest while he stroked her dark hair. “You’re, uh, you feel good,” he said quietly, surprised by his own meek stammering. “Really good.”

She didn’t respond but with the smallest movement of her shoulders, indicating her rhythmic breathing. She was sound asleep. Like a good girl, he thought with a smile. She seemed angelic under the dim cabin light, and gingerly, he touched her face. His stroking made her stir, and she yawned. 

“Hmm?” Her eyes were nearly shut again. 

“Let’s get you in bed, okay?” She nodded against his chest, smiling as the hairs tickled her nose. He smelled good—some kind of mix between spice berries and sun-dried laundry. Just like summertime. He pushed her up carefully, but she was spent, and she kept her weight against him even after they sat upright. “Come on, Mags.” He put an arm around her naked waist and hoisted her off the couch and took her to the bed. He tucked her in and pressed a kiss against her cheek. “Sleep tight, babe.”

Her eyes flickered open and she extended a hand from beneath the quilt. “Don’t go anywhere,” she breathed, pulling on his wrist. “Right here. Stay.”

“Oh, I’m not really the stay-over type,” his response was much shyer than anything he’d said so far that evening. 

Her cold fingers intertwined with his, and she tugged on him again. “Please stay. I’m asking nicely.”

With a grin, he knew he couldn’t say no. He peeled back the sheets and eased in beside her. Within seconds she’d wormed her way closer until her entire naked body was pressed against his, and for the first night since she got there, she floated in blissful, dreamless sleep. 

* * *

By the time the milky morning light reached her bed, his side was cold, and she was alone. She laid there in the dawn, satisfied but disappointed. Had she dreamed that he had gotten into bed? Was the creaking of the frame under the weight of a second body really just the creaking of her old front door? She felt suddenly emptier than she had in the days before. 

She grabbed her phone off the nightstand. No calls, no texts. She checked the weather—cloudy today, storms tomorrow—and sighed. It was shaping up to be another lonely season. 

Spring had come and gone in the valley without much fuss. She had been so focused on clearing out the overgrown farm and tending to the spring vegetables that she barely had a chance to meet anyone or explore much beyond Pierre’s General Store, and the few suppers at the Saloon where she’d first met Shane. Thanks to a bumper crop of parsnips and beans, she felt a bit more secure financially. She was well stocked with stone and wood and fiber from the previous season’s labor, and the promise of a rainy summer meant she might find time away from the farm, untethered by the chore of watering. She wasn’t sure if that’s what she wanted, though. The folks she had bumped into in town had all, or mostly all, been warm and welcoming, but the thought of forging new relationships in a brand new place terrified her. Emily had been nice, a friendly face to converse with while Maggie ate at the bar. And Emily had encouraged her to be friendly to Shane, promising that at the very least his animal husbandry skills would be useful to her as a farmer, and that if she started getting chummy with him from the start, it would save grievances later. But she couldn’t turn to Emily as a confidante, to share her fears of loneliness, and once again, Shane seemed as distant as ever. 

Perhaps on those rainy days, she could take some time to build relationships with her Pelican Town neighbors. She thumbed through her recipe book to find things she could bring with her as she acquainted herself with the townsfolk. But the state of her farm, and pantry, made her think that she’d have to start with something much more simple, and with such limited supplies on hand, she ought to make sure that her potential friends would like a gift in the first place. 

* * *

The crash of the thunder woke her up. Not just rain in the forecast, but a full-blown storm. Spring had a few showers, but nothing quite so torrential. She longed for the days of public transport as she pulled on her rain boots and zipped up her coat.

The walk to the Stardrop Saloon was tedious but, thankfully, not treacherous. She desperately needed a cup of coffee. As she stepped inside, the bell above the door jingled, and Gus turned away from the glass he was drying. Jazz played softly over the speakers. “Mornin! What can I get for ya?”

Maggie smiled and hung her coat on the rack by the door. “Cup of coffee would be great, please.” She had no sooner made herself comfortable at the bar than the bell jingled once again. The man ran a hand through his wet hair and removed his coat. 

“Hello Harvey, how’s it going?” Gus asked as he placed Maggie’s coffee on the bar. 

“Nice weather for ducks out there,” he grinned, and pointed at the steaming mug. “I’ll have one of those, if you don’t mind.”

“Hi Dr. Harvey,” Maggie smiled and extended her hand. “I’m Marjorie, Maggie if you will... we met back in the spring, I’m not sure if you remember?

He shook her hand. “I never forget face, Marjorie! How is the farm treating you?”

Maggie topped off her mug with cream, shook her head at Gus’s offers of sugar and honey, and stirred the drink. “It’s not so bad. The rain’s nice—I haven’t had a day off in a month, it feels like.” She took a long sip and shut her eyes. It was the best coffee she thought she’d ever had. 

“It’s great right?” Harvey kept his black, and took a quick sip. “I could never get coffee this good in the city. Local beans. Gus always has the best of the best.” Another, longer sip. “It’s good you’re resting, too—you don’t want to overexert yourself, especially in the summer heat.”

“I’m taking plenty of breaks, and drinking plenty of water, I promise!”She paused for another long sip. “But I am very grateful for today’s weather. I think a little time off the farm will be good for me. I want to get acquainted with folks around town, plus I’ve got a bag full of artifacts I’ve dug up on the farm that I want to take Gunther.” 

They chatted for a few minutes longer, and when Gus asked if they needed a refill, Harvey shook his head and stood up. “No thanks, I’ve got a morning appointment and I need to set the office up. It was great talking with you, Marjorie. Anytime you need something, you know where to find me.” 

She shook his hand again. “I really appreciate it! And hey — you’re coffee’s on me today.” 

He grinned, eyes alight. “That’s my favorite stuff! I really appreciate it.” She paid and gathered her things, and they stepped out into the rain together. “Stay safe out there!” 

Harvey headed off toward the clinic while she stood in the rain, looking around the town square. It was too early to go to the museum—not even half past seven, according to her watch. She wondered for a moment if it would be silly to go back inside the Saloon, just to wait out the rain… and then she saw him. Even with the hood up on his dark blue raincoat, she could tell by the posture and the brisk pace that it was Shane. He looked up at her as he walked by, face absent of any emotion. _Does he even see me?_ She started to call his name, but bit her lip instead. What did she even want to say to him? Maybe she’d think of it after she caught up to him. 

Instead of slowing down, however, she swore his pace quickened. He had to know she was following him. As they approached the bridge, she called after him. “Shane, please stop ignoring me. I’m asking nicely.”

He stopped and smiled. “Why are you following me? You miss me?”

“What? No—yes. I…” she trailed off. “I’m asking the questions here.” A flash of lightning illuminated their faces under the darkened sky, and a moment later, thunder punctuated the silence. 

“So are you going to ask me a question, or are you going to make me late for work for nothing?”

Frustrated, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind: “Why are you like this?” When he didn’t say anything, she continued, “Why do you fuck me and then ignore me? Why won’t you stay the night with me? Why won’t you slow down when I’m trying to catch up to you?”

“Oh, I don’t think I have time to get into all of that before work. Maybe another time?” He turned and headed across the bridge, leaving her too flustered to respond. Another crack of thunder surprised her, and with a huff, she decided to take the long way to the museum, hoping Gunther might let her in early so she could get herself home as quickly as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading (: This is my first Stardew Valley fic, and first post to AO3, so I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave feedback if you have any - I'm looking forward to finishing and sharing the next part!


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